Waypoint
by Hopelessly scattered
Summary: Gail Peck meets Dr Holly Stewart, Ottawa's top forensic pathologist on a plane on the way to a crime conference in NYC. In a rather un-Gail-Peck-like manner, Gail makes fast friends with Holly, whose easy going attitude doesn't for once put the blonde off. When Gail feels herself letting down her guard, things start to get a bit complicated.
1. Chapter 1

"Attention Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain. Sorry for the inconvenience. We're loading the last of the passengers now. We should be off soon. Thank you for your patience."

The intercom squealed as he disconnected. Gail flinched in irritation at the sound, sinking down in her seat. She was regretting agreeing to this already, and she hadn't even gotten there yet. She had agreed to be 15 divisions liaison at this conference, well more like her mother had offered her up to Frank. She was expendable anyway, not a real needed member of the team, and _someone_ had to go to sit through meeting and lectures on new techniques and forensics. It might as well be her. At least she got a free trip to New York City out of it.

"Excuse me?"

Gail opened her eyes. Standing over her was a woman. She was tall and slender with long brown hair. She smiled down at Gail with a kind but crooked smile. She pushed her glasses up on her nose, almost nervously.

Gail sat up quickly. "Yeah?"

The woman gestured towards the empty window seat beside Gail. "I believe that's my seat."

"Oh!" Gail exclaimed, grabbing her carryon bag, which she had haphazardly flung into the vacant seat. "Sorry."

The woman smiled again as Gail stood up to let her past. "Don't be sorry."

They sat there in mulled silence for a while. They waited and waited and waited for something to happen, but the plane remand motionless still attached to the airport terminal.

Eventually after being side-eyed for a full ten minutes with seemingly no end in site, the woman beside her turned to look at her. Gail ignored her.

"Think we'll ever make it off the ground at this rate?" The sudden question made Gail jump.

She shrugged and kind of grunted in answer, taking hold of the air mall magazine and flipping aimlessly through it. Gail hated being sat beside someone who wanted to talk all flight. It was annoying. All she ever wanted to do was plug her headphones in and read her book. This woman seemed like she was going to be a chatterer so far.

The intercom sounded suddenly again with a wail. They both flinched.

"Attention passengers, we are experiencing some difficulties with the navigation system that will delay our take off time. We appreciate your patience in this matter. Hopefully we'll be leaving soon. Thank you."

Another screech.

Gail and the woman groaned at the same time. They glanced at each other briefly before Gail glanced away again.

"What they need to fix is that stupid intercom," Gail remarked, "It sounds like a dying cat."

The woman agreed. "At this rate by the time we actually get off the ground, we'll all be deaf anyway."

Gail caught her eye, and they laughed. Gail had never met a stranger that had actually agreed with her normally cross personality. It was refreshing to meet someone she didn't instantly put off.

The woman stuck out her hand, "Holly Stewart."

And in a rather un-Gail-like manner, she grasped the hand. "Gail Peck."

"So what do you do Gail Peck?" Holly said turning in her seat to lean back against the window. She drew her leg up on the seat to sit partially cross-legged. "Intercom policing?"

"Oh yes, I regularly arrest people for improper use of sound systems," Gail said. She turned so they were facing each other. "But actually, you're half right."

Holly's face scrunched in a very adorable confused face. "You work with intercoms?"

"Holly, no," Gail said, shaking her head. "I'm a police officer."

Why would she tell this stranger that? Sure, Holly had asked, but she had never been that forth coming with answers to other people's questions before now.

Holly's face lit up. "Oh, you must be heading to the conference then!"

The cop blinked. How in the hell could she know that? Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward.

"Holly, are you a stalker?" she said it as seriously as she could.

Holly laughed again. It was a sound Gail found pleasant. "No, Officer. I'm a forensic pathologist."

"Gesundheit."

"I know you know what that is," Holly said, "or else you're a very poor police officer."

Gail scowled. "I'm a great cop, thank you very much!"

"I'm sure you are, Gail." From the tone, Holly truly believed that.

"So that must make you a doctor, huh? All smart and nerdy and stuff?" Gail questioned. She'd always been fascinated by forensics to be honest. The blood and guts and people's insides had always held a morbid intrigue to her. She told herself that was the only reason she was still talking to this woman.

Holly seemed bemused by her descriptors. "And stuff."

"Very technical, nerd," Gail said. She wondered how if Holly were in forensics in Toronto they had not met yet. While Toronto was a large city, they should have at least crossed paths. Of course there were thousands of members of just the police department itself so it would be hard to keep track of them all. Gail had a feeling though, she would have definitely remembered Holly if they had met before.

"Just met and already you've given me a nickname," the scientist said. She tilted her head to the side and pushed her glasses up her nose as she studied Gail. It was very much like being an experiment, and the woman beside her was looking for something, anything important. Gail didn't feel very important at all.

The intercom sounded again, causing them both to flinch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the crew and I would like to thank you for your patience. Our navigation system has been restored. We will be leaving as soon as we get the go ahead by the tower. So if you would, please return to your seats, buckle your seat belts, place your tray tables in their up right and locked positions while our flight staff goes over the safety rules. Thank you again for your patience."

Gail stuck her fingers in her ear as the captain went off. "Jesus Christ, just stop using the damn thing!"

The woman across the aisle scowled at her and held her hands over her toddler's ears. In between them a male flight attendant stood holding a seat belt and an air mask. The intercom let out another dying squeal as his colleague started to explain how to use it. Gail and the woman ignored him, leaning back in their seats to glare at each other.

"She doesn't even know what those words mean," Gail said, jutting her chin out in a challenge.

"Doesn't mean you have to say them, you know," the mom snapped back.

The flight attendant shot them both an uncomfortable look as he switched to showing them the oxygen masks. The woman on the intercom rattled on none the wiser.

Gail lifted her hands to make a gesture the kid would definitely not know when warm hands stopped her suddenly. Holly raised an eyebrow at her in warning as she slowly pulled their joined hands into her lap. She leaned across Gail to apologize to the woman.

The woman shook her head. "Your girlfriend is extremely rude. You could do better."

Gail practically had whiplash from how fast she turned her head. She opened her mouth to say it was nothing like that, but Holly beat her to it.

"I know. She's just so pretty though," she said with a wink. Gail flushed. Holly had called her pretty. She should be used to strangers calling her pretty, after all with her face it happened often enough that it had lost most of its meaning. Nevertheless, she could feel her face turning a bright red.

The woman laughed and the anger seemed to just dissolve. She analyzed Gail's face critically. "Yes, I guess so."

Holly and the woman shared a smile before the woman turned back to her child who pulled at her arm. Holly sat back in her seat and let go of Gail's hands.

"What was that?" Gail asked. Holly seemed unfazed that the woman had thought they were together. She had so easily defused the situation with a smile and some charm. Gail could only ever make the situations worse.

Holly shrugged. "Seemed like the best way to get you out of there without her launching herself across the aisle."

"Did we have to be together?" Gail snapped. They barely even knew each other.

The intercom let out another screech as the demonstration was over, and the attendants returned to their own seats.

Gail had hardly noticed though until the plane began to back up. There was a collective cheer around the cabin by all except Holly and Gail who were still looking at each other. Holly's smile had dropped. She fidgeted and pushed her glasses up, but her gaze dropped to her hands in her lap.

"Oh," she said simply, glancing out the window as the plane began taxying.

Gail realized how that sounded. She hadn't meant it like that. She was just thrown by Holly letting that woman believe that they were together and annoyed she hadn't been able to tell her off. She had obviously hit some kind of nerve with Holly. Of course, already fucking up what she hoped was a friendship at its start. Did she hope this was some sort of friendship? She must be on something. She had to fix this. She had to let this woman know they weren't going to be friends.

She reached out and grabbed Holly's hand. She had never been this touchy-feely with a practical stranger before. Instinctually however, she felt the unwavering need to reach out to the other woman. "Holly, no, I didn't mean...I was just annoyed with this whole trip. It had nothing to do with you. I'd be lucky to date someone like you."

There was a smile stuck on Gail's face that she wasn't sure how it had gotten there. Sure her brain had to send signals to her muscles to make that facial expression, but she was sure _her_ brain hadn't been the one to send them.

That hadn't been the way to distance herself from the other woman. That hadn't been the way she meant that little speech to go. She was supposed to put Holly down in a harsh, but realistic way and bask in the silent plane ride for the next hour and a half.

Holly turned both eyebrows raised. "Who said I'd want to date you, Gail Peck?"

Gail laughed. Holly seemed to have regained her composure, taking her sarcastic gut reaction more in stride. It was something not everyone could do. That impressed Gail at least. "Of course, I'd be totally wrong for you. My last relationship blew up in my face."

Holly leaned back towards her. "How so?"

"Well I…"

Woah, what was she doing? Why was she about to tell this stranger a highly personal story about her breakup? No, she was going to tell Holly to mind her own business, but before she could the plane started moving faster. The wind outside grew to a roar as they began to race down the runway. Gail sank back into her seat, going rigid. She always forgot how much she hated flying until the plane was taking off. She gripped the armrests so tightly her knuckles were white. Her eyes snapped closed, and she held her breath.

Until a hand rested on top of her own, fingers wrapping around to pry it off of the armrest. She peeked over at Holly as she gave a reassuring squeeze.

It wasn't until they reached cruising altitude that Gail could breath normally again without sounding like she was about to hyperventilate. She felt dizzy.

"You alright?" Holly said, her eyes soft and concerned. Where Gail's friends would have taunted her with her fears, Holly seemed only concerned for her well-being. There was no comment on the tough Gail Peck being afraid of flying. She felt a swell of affection she didn't even want for this new friend. Why did she keep calling her that?

Gail nodded a bit more than necessary. The plane rattled a bit as it hit some turbulence. She inhaled and exhaled slowly. She fucking hated flying.

"Hey, it's alright," Holly whispered, "There's only a 1 in 11 million chance of dying in a plane crash."

"With my luck, I'd be the one," she muttered. She scrunched her eyes shut and tried to think of something less scary: sharks, centipedes, flying ninja stars.

"Could be worse," Holly remarked, leaning back in her seat. She was still holding Gail's hand, though Gail's grip was considerably less deadly than it had been. The blonde decided she would allow herself to take a moment to feel a bit more grounded before she let go. It had been a long time since she had held anyone's hand. Then she'd tell this woman off in someway that would force her to leave the blonde alone.

"How?" Gail questioned.

Holly gave her that lopsided smile and shrugged. "Could be killer sharks."

Gail let out a bark of a laugh as Holly started humming the theme to _Jaws_.

"I like the way you think, Stewart," she said, squeezing Holly's hand.

Holly glanced down at them. "You think I can have that back now?"

Gail blushed and immediately let go. "Oh, right, sorry, I didn't…"

The brunette stretched out her fingers for a moment, massaging her joints before she reached out and grabbed Gail's hand back. "It's fine, Gail. I was just losing a bit of feeling from your death grip there."

She squeezed their hands. "You can hold my hand all flight if it makes you feel better."

Gail wasn't used to feeling that rush in her stomach that came with those words. It was a feeling she wasn't sure she should be having. No, this wasn't supposed to be happening. What on earth was she doing?

"Is this how you pick up all the ladies?" she remarked with a smirk as Holly practically choked on air in surprise. That's it drive her away.

She turned to Gail in surprise, her eyebrow rising. She asked rather daringly, "And what if it is?"

Gail, if nothing else, liked the gall of the doctor, so she asked a question she knew would surprise her. "So you're a lesbian then?"

If she was surprised, Holly didn't show it. Her gaze was challenging instead. "Yes, I am. Is that a problem for you?"

Gail's smile softened. "Not a problem at all."

Well that hadn't worked well at driving her away now had it?

Holly's face lit up. She opened her mouth to say something when the flight attendant interrupted her.

"Would either of you care for a beverage?" she asked, gesturing to the cart she was pushing.

"Water, please," Holly said. She was so cheerful and open to everyone. It was a bit unsettling to Gail. She had never met anyone who was as charismatic and friendly as Holly. Except maybe Chloe, but where Chloe's enthusiasm with life bugged Gail, Holly's seemed, against her better judgment, to be growing on the blonde.

She realized suddenly that she had been staring at Holly and the flight attendant was still waiting for her answer. She blinked a few times, before she put on an actual smile, though it may have looked more like a grimace, as she requested a coke.

For the rest of the flight, which was quite short for air travel, she and Holly talked. Gail couldn't seem to stop herself. There was something about Holly that made her want to tell her things. Maybe it was her friendly open face. Maybe it was her lopsided smile. The cop wasn't sure. Now though she was beginning to really get to know the scientist.

Holly wasn't, as it turned out, a forensic pathologist in Toronto. She lived in Ottawa. This was her second flight of the day, a connector from Ottawa to NYC. She told her a funny story of her two-hour layover and how she had gotten so into her book that she had almost missed the boarding.

Gail teased her relentlessly as she produced the book in question: _Game of Thrones_. Holly defended herself, saying if Gail had ever watched the HBO show, she would understand. Gail was skeptical, but promised if she had the chance she'd watch at least one or two episodes when she got home.

They talked so long about anything and everything and nothing at all that before they knew it, the intercom squealed again, causing them both to jump as the attendants announced they were on final approach to NYC.

Gail and Holly buckled their seat belts. The blonde's head sank back into her headrest as she took a large, deep breath. Her hands gripped at the armrests tightly, and she shut her eyes, trying to imagine herself anywhere but here.

Holly's hand rested on top of hers once again and her voice said softly in her ear, "Just breathe."

Gail swallowed hard as she nodded. As her stomach dropped with the falling altitude, she latched her fingers around Holly's palm. "Jesus Christ."

The plane jolted as the wheels touched down. Gail's whole body went rigid. She gritted her teeth right until they slowed to taxying speed.

Holly's thumb ran across the blonde's knuckles soothingly. When Gail peeked over at the scientist, she was smiling reassuringly at her.

Gail tried to make her body relax, though it was difficult. She glared at Holly. "You aren't allowed to make fun of me for this."

The brunette placed her free hand over her heart. "I promise to never bring this fear up again."

Gail's eyes narrowed as she analyzed the sincerity in the other woman's words. Deciding even with her amused smile that Holly actually meant it, she nodded. "Good."

She ignored how the promise of "again" made her want to smile.

The intercom made them both jump again. Gail was so ready to never hear that shrill sound again. If she had her gun, she would have shot every single speaker in this compartment.

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to New York City. Thank you for flying with Air Canada. Welcome to New York City! We hope you have a pleasant day!"

People started to stand. Gail jerked her head towards the now open compartment door. "Come on, I need a drink."

"Already asking me for drinks, Officer? You do move fast," Holly said as she stood, ducking down because she was too tall to stand fully upright under the overhead compartments.

Gail smirked. "Well you certainly weren't moving fast enough, Ms. Holding-Strangers-Hands."

Gail grabbed her bag, and in a moment of chivalry snatched the doctor's bag and tossed it over her shoulder as well.

"Such a gentleman."

"Shut up and buy me some tequila, nerdbian."

Holly's laugh echoed down the jet bridge.

**Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading. **


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all let me say: Woooah! I was seriously not expecting all the reviews and the alerts and favorites or anyone to read the thing at all. So thank you so much guys! I really appreciate it. Secondly: how much did everybody freak out about the first episode? There was much flailing at the cuteness! Also Papa Shaw and Gail in the stakeout extra. The best! Ok i'm going to stop talking now after I shout out to my lovely gf, joiedevivre2011, for being my beta...even though she has no idea what's going on because she doesn't watch the show at least she fixes my grammar.**

Gail was impressed. This hotel was far nicer than she had expected for Toronto's budget. It helped that it was the host hotel for their conference of course, so mostly all Gail would be seeing for the next three days was the inside of this building. Not exactly a vacation, but she wasn't complaining because it was nice to get away from her hectic life. Nice to get away from the still lingering looks from her colleagues, the whispers of being the "cheater" or the "broken" woman whose boyfriend left her for Andy. It was nice to get away from her mother's "I-told-you-so" smirks.

She flopped down onto the bed. It was a king sized, so much better than her double back home in her cramped little room, which she was sure wasn't supposed to really be a bedroom. She turned her head towards the window. Her bedroom certainly didn't have this kind of view. Here, New York City stretched out before her with a perfect view down the avenue, bright billboards and car lights glinting as far as she could see.

She had been here only one other time. In a rare move for control over her life, she had taken a vacation by herself in college. Her mother almost had a heart-attack at the thought of her traversing one of the busiest, most dangerous cities in the world on her own, but it had taught her some valuable lessons on taking care of herself.

There was a knock on her door. Gail groaned as she forced her exhausted body up off the memory foam.

Holly stood on the other side, her hair pulled up and damp. She had obviously decided a shower was in order before meeting for drinks. Gail frowned. How long had she been lying on her bed doing nothing?

Holly glanced down at her outfit, the same one she had been wearing on the plane, and then down at her own, which was a pair of tight black leggings with a loose white top. It looked good on her.

"I see you're ready," Holly said, pushing her way past Gail and into the room. She flung herself onto the mattress, bouncing a bit at the force. "I'll wait while you change."

Gail scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "And what if I wanted to go in this?"

Holly shrugged. "You're the one that whined about getting out of those jeans. Or was that some sort of innuendo?"

The cop rolled her eyes. "You wish, Stewart."

"Mmm," Holly hummed, eyeing Gail in a way that made her stomach flutter. The blonde shoved Holly so she fell, sprawling out on the bed. Holly wiggled her eyebrows. "I see."

Gail tapped her foot patiently until the playful look fell from Holly's face.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up again.

"Look, nerd, there's some rules we need to go over," Gail said. If they were going to be friends for this weekend there would need to be ground rules to follow. She didn't want anyone, anyone being Holly of course, getting attached. She didn't need a lesbian pining after her or anything. Not that she thought Holly would. She seemed far too cool for Gail Peck.

Holly smiled that crooked smile, sinking back onto her elbows with a 'really' look on her face. "There are rules?"

"Of course, there are rules. I thought you were smart or something!" Gail said, ticking off on her fingers as she began to list. "Number one: no touching. Number two: seriously no touching. Number three: no phone number exchanging. Number four: No getting a crush on me. Which of course leads to five: no checking me out."

Holly rolled her eyes and flopped back down onto her back. "Sure, Gail, whatever you say."

"This is serious. woman!" The blonde stalked over to loom menacingly over Holly's body. She didn't see or expect the prod to the stomach until it happened. She squealed.

Holly was laughing. "Does that count as touching?"

Gail ignored her, strutting over to her bag, rummaging around in it for a pair of black jeans and a black and white striped sweater. She grabbed her makeup bag and went into the large bathroom.

It took only a little time to get ready. She figured she didn't need to be perfect looking for simply going down to the hotel bar. She stepped back to study herself in the mirror. However, she did feel some need to look nice at least, if only to not look like crap compared to her beautiful new friend lying on her bed.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Holly was just where she left her. Her eyes were closed, lying on her back, arms spread eagle on the bed. She was slowly rubbing her hands over the soft fabric of the comforter. She looked so peaceful. It made Gail envious of that kind of self-freedom.

Gail approached her quietly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Holly…"

Holly jumped, barely missing Gail's head as she sat up in shock. She clutched at her racing heart, staring daggers at Gail, who was bent over double with laughter.

"You should have seen your face," she gasped, grasping at the stitch now forming in her sides.

"You're such a jerk!" Holly exclaimed. She forced herself to her feet. "Come on, Barney Fife, I was promised alcohol."

Gail watched as Holly crossed the room and held her door open for her. "Did you just call me Barney Fife?"

Holly smiled ushering her out the door. "Yes, yes, I did. Let me buy you a shot to make up for it."

"You better."

Once down at the bar, they perched on two bar stools. They both ordered two shots of tequila. Gail turned to her new friend, lifting her drink. Holly mirrored her.

"To new friends," Holly said with her crooked smile.

"To getting through this weekend without falling asleep while taking notes," Gail said, clinking her glass with Holly's.

They tapped them on the bar, and downed them in one gulp. Laughing as the liquid burned, they took up their next shot.

"To not getting fired," Holly said.

Gail giggled, the liquor spreading warmth through her limbs. She put on her best professional voice. "To gaining new insight on techniques and technology to further the policing and scientific knowledge of crime management."

Holly touched glasses, and they both drank their shot. Holly leaned across the bar to flag down the bartender as Gail turned to examine the people in the bar with them. They were mostly high-class business executives she imagined, though since the conference was being held she was sure a good portion was also higher ups in the policing community. She could spot instantly Holly's people with their awkward nerd looks and inability to hold other people's eye contact. Gail glanced back at Holly, who was talking animatedly with the bartender. She was an unusually sociable person for someone who worked mostly with the dead.

"Gail Peck!" a voice bellowed from behind her.

Holly glanced in surprised at the person over Gail's shoulder. Her brow furrowed, and she looked at Gail in question.

Gail spun on her stool. A man she instantly recognized as Captain Arthur Arnold was standing behind her. A large man, his nice suit coat's buttons strained against his rather large gut. He had salt and pepper hair with a clean-cut beard of the same mix. He swayed a bit on his feet as he spread his arms open to take her in an unexpected hug, his large hands clapping her forcefully on the back.

She coughed in surprise, freezing under his affections. "Captain," she said simply, her eyes wide.

He let go of her to stand between them, one hand taking residence on Gail's hip while the other tried to settle on Holly's thigh. She was quick though in her movements to rotate enough that his hand landed instead on her back. She sent a distressed gaze to Gail, who returned it with an unamused expression.

The Captain was obviously drunk. She had dealt with him at many of her parents Christmas parties where he thought he could place his hands wherever he liked on her. She always managed to call out to his wife at these moments, which always caused his hands to retract instantly. Here, however, his wife was nowhere to be seen.

"What're you doing here?" He hiccupped giving her a sloppy smile.

She replied rather tersely. "For the conference, Captain, what else?"

He chortled. "I've always liked that sense of humor, Peck."

"Thank you, sir," she replied not feeling thankful in the least.

"Your mother here?" He glanced around.

"No, sir."

"Your father?"

Gail shook her head. "Just me, sir."

He clapped her on the waist. "Well, you've got to get used to these kinds of things on your way up the ladder, Peck. Good practice."

"Yes, sir," Gail said, voice monotone.

Holly was frowning at her, obviously not following what her parents had to do with any of this. Gail made the mistake of glancing at her, which brought the attention of the Captain.

He not so discreetly checked out the forensic pathologist, his grubby eyes running inappropriately over her body.

Gail felt her blood boil. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from snapping at her superior.

"And who is your friend, Peck?" he asked not waiting for an answer as he took his hand off Gail's waist to hold it out to Holly. "Captain Arthur Arnold, Toronto PD."

Holly managed a tight smile, taking the Captain's hand. "Dr. Holly Stewart, forensic pathologist, Ottawa."

"Very nice to meet you, Ms. Stewart," he said with a sleazy smile.

"Doctor." Gail practically growled the word at him.

He blinked, finally returning his attention back to her. "Excuse me, Officer?"

"She's a doctor, sir. I would think as a captain you would understand being addressed by the title one has earned," she said briskly. She was annoyed and insulted that this man was ignoring Holly's obvious impressive accomplishments for one so young. If she were a man, he would have automatically addressed her as doctor.

His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Of course, my apologies, _Dr._ Stewart."

Holly casually moved from under his hand to place her own casually on his shoulder. She stood. "It's fine, Captain. I'm sorry to say though; we were just heading out now. I'm sure you're tired from the journey as are we. It was a pleasure to meet you."

The Captain was taken aback a bit. He appeared unsure as to whether Holly was being genuine with him or not. In the end, he nodded. "Of course, you ladies have a nice night. Good to meet you, Doctor." He glanced at Gail. "Take care, Peck."

Gail bit her tongue, not trusting herself to speak. She nodded, sliding off her stool. She grabbed Holly's hand, pushing past the Captain and out of the bar.

She didn't stop when they reached the lobby. She didn't stop until she was pulling the pathologist out the automatic doors and into the cold night air. It stung at her burning face, calming the anger bubbling inside her.

"Gail?" Holly said, pulling at her hand. Gail stopped and spun to face her. She was just so angry, and it showed on her face. "Hey, it's alright."

Holly placed her hands on Gail's biceps, running them up and down soothingly.

Gail shrugged out of her grasp. She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I am just so sick and tired of…of…that!"

"Of what?" Holly stood there. It was clear on her face she was trying to understand what Gail was going on about.

Gail flung her arms in the direction of the bar. "Of having to deal with douchebags who think because they're my superiors that they have the right to be a sleaze ball!"

Holly nodded in understanding. "I get that."

"I mean it's one thing to be a greasy creep to _me_, but when he placed his hands on _you_, ignoring the fact that you're a doctor. I just…to completely ignore your accomplishment like that! I mean you've got to be extremely young for your position, right?" When Holly nodded, Gail continued on her rampage, "He can't just ignore the fact that you're a successful doctor simply because you're gorgeous! Checking you out like that! It's disrespectful, but he can get away with it because he's 'in charge.' Disgusting!"

Holly wasn't looking concerned anymore. She stood back with an amused facial expression. Gail stopped her pacing, and stomped her foot rather childishly.

"What!?" she snapped.

Holly dipped her head down, but Gail could see the blush breaking spreading across her cheeks. "Nothing, it's just…"

"What!?" she demanded again.

"You're insane. You know that right?"

Holly glanced up at her, and Gail felt herself deflate.

"So I've been told," she said, looking a bit more ashamed of her outburst.

The brunette stepped forward to link her arm through Gail's. She tugged her into walking down the street. "Come on, hero. Let me buy you another drink for coming to my defense."

Gail flushed, stuffing her hands into her pockets. She drew her elbows in to hold Holly's arm in place.

"Does this count as touching?" Holly asked with a wry smile.

Gail ignored the question. "You're getting me in trouble already, nerd."

Holly squeezed her arm with a light chuckle. "I imagine you do that well enough on your own."

Gail smirked at that, throwing her head back towards the beautiful skyline. "You might be right about that."

**Reviews fuel me...like coffee. **


	3. Chapter 3

There was some sort of incessant buzzing sound. Gail couldn't figure out what it was. She swatted towards it, her hand coming into contact with something hard. The buzzing stopped. She sighed happily.

What must have been ten minutes later, the buzzing started again. This time she was aware enough to realize it was her alarm. She bolted upright grabbing the clock. She squealed at the time, scrambling to get into the shower quick enough to still have time to get coffee and food before her first lecture.

By the time she'd gotten back to the hotel last night, it had been extremely late. She and Holly had found a small pub no bigger than Gail's apartment. It was dingy with low lighting and hardly any customers. They had sat at the bar for hours, talking and laughing and drinking, not feeling their jet lag in the least. Gail had never had so much fun just being around someone before. She was breaking her own rules, getting attached and then there was the touching. As the night went on they seemed to have totally and utterly ignored that rule all together. Holly, it seemed, was an extremely touchy person or something. Where Gail normally would detest such affection, the more tequila she drank, the more she returned it.

They had gotten on every subject imaginable. Holly had asked about why the Captain had looked for her parents, which Gail dismissed, saying she'd rather not talk about them. Instead they spoke of what it was like to be a cop in a major metropolis.

Holly's job sounded both interesting and boring at the same time. Interesting was the gory details of cases, like the forensics behind gunshot wounds, or how one specific type of bullet had led her to finding a serial killer. The boring part was the mumbo-jumbo language behind it, and the large amount of paper work. Gail had thought being a cop was all about paperwork, but it seemed forensics was just as bad.

It was near three am when they had finally stumbled out of the bar, arms linked together, laughing at a joke neither could particularly remember. When they finally made it back to their hotel, Gail insisted upon escorting Holly to her room even though it was on a higher floor than her own. It was her job, after all, to protect and serve.

Holly had wiggled her eyebrows at the serve bit to which Gail held a drunken finger up to her.

"The rules, nerd, the rules," she said, poking the brunette on the nose.

Holly smirked, leaning close to Gail's face. Gail could feel the other woman's breath on her lips. They stared at each other.

"Goodnight, Officer," Holly whispered, pushing through the door.

"'Night, Doctor," Gail said as she swaggered backwards down the corridor as far as she could go without falling. Holly watched her until Gail turned, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she moved toward the elevators.

Gail had collapsed in bed as soon as she had reached her room, falling asleep almost instantly.

Now Gail was racing out the door. By the time she had gotten down to the lobby there was nothing left at the breakfast bar but half a blueberry muffin, and the coffee canteens were completely empty, even the decaf. She could have at least pretended it was caffeinated.

When she slid into the back of the auditorium, the lecture had already started. This one was entitled _Forensics of a Bullet Wound_.

Gail tried to listen intently to whatever the man at the podium was saying, but it was all coming out like Peanuts characters. Holly explaining bullet wounds was far more interesting than this man. She slumped down in chair, stuffing the half muffin into her mouth and chewing rather loudly. She hoped there would be slides with pictures. At least those would be interesting to look at, or at least she'd have something better than the buck-toothed man lecturing on round calibers. Holly had been better to look at too.

Gail jumped at the shrill of guitar as her phone rang out suddenly. She scrambled to turn the ringer off as the people nearest to her glared at her interruption. She gave them all a piercing look that had them sinking into their seats. No one looked at her like that, especially not when she was hungover and uncaffeinated.

A new message from The Nerdbian:

_How you feeling, Officer? Hopefully better than I do. Remind me not to drink so much when I have to be up so early. _

Gail found herself suddenly smiling, something she wasn't used to this early in the morning. She glanced around, conspiratorially as if she was about to do something bad. She texted back:

_I'd feel so much better if I had a proper breakfast and some coffee. I was forced to eat a suspicious half of a muffin to sustain myself. _

She sent the message, before she thought of something else.

_Also, did you not only break my second rule and giving me your number, but also set your own ringtone to ACDC's 'You Shook Me All Night Long'?_

The reply was immediate. _Mmm coffee. Nothing should ever happen before coffee. _

_Also, yes, yes, I did, and I believe it was rule 3. Though rules 1 and 2 were both about touching. We broke those too if I recall._

That made Gail blush.

The Nerdbian:_ That sounded dirtier than I had meant it to. _

Gail typed out a reply: _Well you did shake me all night long. _

The Nerdbian:_ And don't you forget it!_

Gail rolled her eyes, then realized that it was pointless since Holly couldn't actually see her.

The Nerdbian:_ Don't roll your eyes at me!_

Gail jumped. How the hell had she known that?

The Nerdbian:_ I'm psychic._

The cop's eyes narrowed. _Are you here?_

She glanced around. There a few rows down, she caught sight of Holly turned round in her chair, winking up at her. She smirked, waving her up. The scientist ducked down as she snuck up to sit in the empty seat beside Gail. However Gail was distracted by the coffee cup in her hand.

"Gimme, gimme!" Gail insisted, making grabby hands at the to-go cup.

Holly frowned and held the cup out of Gail's reach. "You think I'm going to share my coffee?"

"Holly," Gail said seriously, turning in her chair. She took Holly's hands into her own, making sure she had eye contact. "If you don't give me some of your coffee right now. I may just die, a slow and painful death. You wouldn't want that on your conscious now, would you?"

Holly laughed, shaking her head. "I don't think so, Gail. My caffeinated body would send flowers though."

Gail growled. "Holly, give me the coffee or I might murder someone!"

The pathologist side-eyed her, taking a slow sip from her cup. "Well, good thing I could solve that crime, isn't it?"

"Not if I killed you," Gail mumbled.

"I'll take my chances," Holly said, gripping her cup tightly as far from Gail's reach as possible.

There seemed to be nothing that would budge her. At least not in Gail's normal manner, so she switched tactics.

The cop made a pouty face at her, pushing out her lower lip with wide eyes. Holly tried to glance away toward the presenter, taking small sips from her cup every once and a while. Gail made a slight whimpering sound, placing her head on Holly's shoulder.

Holly sighed, her eyes shooting up to the ceiling as though she couldn't believe she was about to do this, before she handed over the cup.

Gail punched the air in victory, taking a long sip from the now lukewarm coffee. It was the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted. She took another sip before she felt it slipping away from her.

Holly hugged her coffee cup to her chest. "I think that's more than enough for you."

Gail leaned in to whisper, "I can never have enough, Holly."

"Would you two ladies like to take that elsewhere? Or is this lecture interrupting your flirting time?" a gruff voice said from behind them.

They turned to see the older man behind them looking sternly between the two of them. Gail glared at him, opening her mouth to shoot some kind of obscenity she hadn't exactly decided on yet. Holly, however, grabbed her arm, pushing her down into the seat.

"Sorry," she whispered, slumping down herself.

She and Gail shared a look. They tried hard, but the laughter bubbling up in their throats spilled out.

They ran from the auditorium as the man cursed after them.

"So breakfast?" Gail suggested as they finally came to a stop in the lobby.

Holly chugged the rest of the coffee, tossing the empty cup into the nearest trash bin. She turned and smiled at Gail. "Absolutely."

They found a diner nearby that smelled strongly of bacon. It was practically empty for being 9 am. The vinyl booths were chipped and old, but still maintained their bright blue even through age. The floors were checkered black and white. A long counter stretched around the space. An older woman leaned against it reading from a newspaper. She glanced up at them as the bell went off.

"Sit wherever ya like," she said her accent deep and Brooklyn.

Gail nodded, leading Holly to the middle of the rows of booths. Gail hadn't even glanced at the menu when she waved the waitress over.

"What can I get you?" the waitress asked, not even bothering with attempting to write their orders down.

"Pancakes, please," Gail said, "Biggest stack you offer with a large side of bacon, crispy. And coffee, leave the pot."

The woman nodded, turning to Holly. "And you dear?"

Holly glanced briefly at the menu. "Um, spinach omelet with Swiss cheese, side of hashbrowns. Coffee as well."

The waitress, whose nametag read Shirley, left to put in the order.

Gail turned to stare out the window. New York City was buzzing with activity. Everyone seemed to be in such a rush to get wherever they were going. They were all on their cell phones, ignoring the people next to them. Kind of like Gail was doing right now, so she turned her attention back to the brunette seated across from her.

"Breakfast is my favorite part of the day," Gail said, leaning her elbows on the table.

"I think this counts as brunch now doesn't it?" Holly said as the waitress came back with their coffee. She poured them each a cup and, as instructed, set the pot down. They thanked her.

Gail took the cup into her hands, letting the warmth of the cup seep into her palms. "Brunch is for old ladies."

Holly took a sip of her coffee, humming in approval. "Who you calling old?"

The blonde leaned back, running her eyes up and down Holly's frame. "I don't know. I think you've got some crow's feet forming." She pulled at the side of her own eyes.

"Hey!" Holly said, swatting at her with the menu. "I'm not that much older than you are!"

"You don't know how old I am," she said, taking another sip of coffee.

"I bet you I can guess," Holly said challengingly.

The waitress came out at that moment with their order. She set the biggest stack of pancakes Gail had ever seen in front of her with a large pile of bacon. It felt like Christmas morning. Holly seemed amused by how fervently Gail shoveled bacon into her mouth. She took hold of the syrup and doused her pancakes in it.

"Have some pancakes with your syrup there, Officer?" Holly remarked, taking the ketchup and blanketing her hashbrowns with it.

Gail gestured with her fork towards the hashbrowns. "Pot, kettle, it seems. Like your ketchup there, huh?"

Holly nodded, offering up a forkful in Gail's direction. "You want?"

"No thank you," Gail said, making a face. "As much as I like potato products of all kinds, I don't think they're worth not breathing."

Holly tilted her head in question.

"I'm allergic to tomatoes," Gail said through a mouthful of pancake.

The scientist lifted her chin in an 'ah' gesture. "And apparently to manners as well."

Gail sort of shrugged. She went for more bacon, but Holly snatched some out from under her hand.

"Hey!" No one took Gail's food.

Holly smirked as she chewed satisfyingly on her bacon strip.

"I've killed for less, nerd," Gail said in warning.

"Sure you have, you big softy," Holly said eating some of her omelet.

Gail glared. She was not a big softy. What did this pathologist know anyway? Holly was leaning on the table, smiling that half smile at her. Well since she was a doctor, Gail figured, she probably knew a whole lot. She certainly had Gail pegged quickly. Not about the softy part though. Gail Peck was a fierce, hardened police officer.

"So what was that about a bet again?" Gail said. She was sure she could beat Holly in a guessing game.

"I said I bet I can guess your age," Holly said, sneaking another piece of bacon from Gail's plate.

"Alright, try it," Gail said, raising her chin in challenge.

Holly's eyes narrowed. She studied Gail's face for a moment, chewing on her omelet thoughtfully. She smiled as she turned to cut into her hashbrowns. "28."

Gail's mouth hung open. "How could you know that!?"

"I'm good with faces. I'm a forensic pathologist, aren't I?" Holly said, gesturing at her own face. "Ever seen _Bones_? I analyze the contours of your facial structure."

"So you looked me up, huh?" the cop deduced.

"I looked your face up," Holly shot back.

Gail gave her a 'really' look, and Holly caved. "Alright, alright, the internet might have been involved."

"Thought so."

"I might have found an article…about your family." Holly was now staring intently at her breakfast.

"Ah," Gail said, taking a long drink of coffee. "So you know."

"What? That your family is some sort of cop empire?" Holly said, "Or that your god-father is the Toronto Chief of Police?"

Sighing, Gail glanced out the window, her lips tight. "Yeah, all that."

"Hey, are you alright?" Holly reached out, placing a hand on top of hers. Gail froze, pulling her hand from under Holly's.

"Look, can we talk about something else? I left Toronto for a while to get away from the Peck dynasty for a while, so ya know I'd rather not talk about how I'm measuring up," Gail snapped. She turned to the waitress. "Hey, Shirley, can we get the check please?"

"Gail, come on," Holly said, pushing the plate of bacon towards her, "You've still got bacon left, three whole pieces. Don't make me eat them."

Gail sighed, finishing her cup of coffee. When Holly moved to grab her bacon, the blonde slapped her hand away. "Who said I was done with that?"

Holly smirked. "So sorry, Officer. I'll let you finish."

Shirley came up and set their check down. Gail smiled, grabbing it quickly. "We might be here a bit longer."

Shirley eyed them both. "Take your time."

"Are you gonna let me pay my half?" Holly asked, refilling both their coffee mugs.

Gail chewed her bacon before answering. "Well you did let me have some of your morning coffee."

"So that earns me a whole breakfast?" Holly asked. "Remind me to share with you more often."

After they finished their coffee and Gail finished her bacon, they decided it was probably time for them to get back to the conference.

When they got to the lobby, Gail turned to Holly.

"I guess, this is where we should go learn something," Gail said, stuffing her fists into her jean pockets.

"Might be good, if we want to keep our jobs that is," Holly remarked. She winked and turned to leave, but stopped as Gail grabbed her arm.

"Wait, Holly," Gail said. She wasn't sure quite what she was doing, but she felt the need to stop Holly, to keep her there. She wanted to see her again. That was an unusual feeling for Gail Peck. "Can we…"

Holly cut her off. "Do you like pizza?"

"Huh?" Gail blinked.

"Pizza, you know cheese, sauce," Holly said. She seemed to think about that for a second. "We can get alfredo or bbq? I know no tomatoes."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Gail said, still a bit confused as to where Holly was going with this. She found herself smiling as the pathologist beamed at her answer.

"Ok, well, good," Holly said. "That settles it then."

Holly went to move away again, but Gail stopped her one more time.

"Um, what exactly was decided, nerd?" Gail had no idea what they had decided. Only that she liked pizza with basically the rest of humanity.

"Just show up at my room tonight," Holly said, backing away. "8 o'clock sharp. Don't be late."

Gail found herself nodding, watching the other woman walk away towards the conference floor. She looked at the time on her phone. She was almost late to her 11 o'clock lecture: _Policing in the Field_.

"Hey, Officer!"

Gail glanced up. Holly was at the top of the stairs leading from the lobby floor to the atrium.

"Bring tequila!"

**Thank you all for the reviews and follows and favs! I really appreciate it! Beta credits once again go to: joiedevivre2011, the best gf who fixes my grammar. Remember reviews are like coffee (takes coffee Queen Nan slipped me)! Just no one actually bring me tequila...we do not get along like it and Gail do. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I am so so sorry this took so long. Life and apartment hunting and grad school things just got in the way. Thank you all for your patience and kind words and follows, etc. They make my day. **

Gail was in her last lecture of the day. In the last three, she had taken extensive notes, making sure they were complete and precise to make up for running out on the one this morning. This lecture, however, was boring her to death. Nothing about it was making any sense to Gail. Something about microfibers on bodies used to identify a murderer's clothing.

It was utterly dull, and though she had tried and tried to keep notes, her mind had found itself wandering towards tonight. She was going to meet Holly in her hotel room. She was to bring tequila. She was to bring tequila _to her hotel room_.

She wasn't sure why that filled her with both dread and a sense of…excitement. She tried to focus again as her head ran through all the scenarios of what could go on tonight. Things that would lead them to…she shook the thoughts from her head. What was wrong with her? Why would she even think of _that_?

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was Steve.

New message from Badass Detective:_ How's the nerd con?_

Of course, Steve would feel the same way as she did about this conference. He, however, didn't have to sit through these boring lectures.

_Oh you know, boring me out of my mind._

Badass Detective:_ Glad I'm not being forced into one of those again. Once was enough._

_Mom made you go to one of these too?_

She couldn't imagine Steve at one of these. He was a great detective (as he reminded her by changing his name in her phone), but he was never one for hitting the books. He moved more on instinct than on what a lecture could tell him. Most of the time, his instinct was good though.

Badass Detective:_ Oh yeah, my third year as a rookie. No one ever wants to go to those things, but someone always needs to represent. You run into any of our parents' fun buddies?_

Gail flashed back to the Captain and his gross display of sexism with Holly.

_Yeah, Captain Arnold, douchebag extreme._

Badass Detective:_ He try and grope you again?_

_Worse: He did grope me AND my friend. He degraded her and checked her out. It was disgusting!_

Badass Detective:_ While yes, despicable, did you say you have a friend?_

Gail snorted and then got shushed by the lady a few seats down. She shot her a menacing glare.

_Shut up, dick-wad! I can make friends!_

Badass Detective:_ Uh huh, sure you can, pea-brain. _

_Asswipe _

Badass Detective:_ Dweeb._

_Really? Dweeb?_

Badass Detective:_ I'm running low on insults today. _

_Text me when you gain some new ones._

Badass Detective:_ Will do. Be safe._

_Aye, aye. _

Gail turned back to her presenter. At least Steve had gotten her mind off of tonight. Of course, now that brought her mind directly back to it. Back to Holly. He joked about her not making friends, but it was true. She wasn't used to making such fast friends with anyone. Holly was different, somehow. She didn't take Gail's sarcasm and brashness offensively. Rather she found it all rather amusing, it seemed. To Gail, that was a nice change compared to the rookies back at 15.

She just really hoped she wouldn't royally screw this up. That was something of a specialty of hers. She felt like she spent most of her relationships trying to fix the messes she made when she'd opened her mouth. She didn't want to ruin this friendship by spouting out something she ultimately didn't mean.

She'd been staring off into space, thinking, for so long she hadn't realized the lecture had ended. People had gotten up and started leaving. In fact she was almost the last one sitting in the lecture hall.

She jolted up out of her chair and headed out. She had to go back to her room to collect the tequila she'd bought at a nearby liquor store in between lectures, freshen up, and go up to Holly's room. Why was she so nervous?

She wasn't paying any attention while she practically marched towards the elevators. She was so lost in thought she ran straight into someone.

She frowned. "Watch…"

She stopped mid-sentence as she saw just who she'd almost plowed to the ground. He was blond and handsome. He smiled big at her.

"Well, well, Gail Peck," Arnie Olsen said. He looked the same as she remembered.

"What the hell are you doing here, buck-teeth?" she asked.

"Why you asking, snot-for-brains?" he responded.

They gazed at each other for a moment, waiting. Gail, as always, was the one to break first. She couldn't help it. His serious face was the _worst_. It always made her laugh. So when he saw her lip twitch as she tried to not smile, he gathered her up in a big bear hug.

Arnie was her brother's best friend growing up. They had lived nearby. Arnie was American. His parents had moved them to Toronto when he was 11 from Alabama. Needless to say it had been quite a culture shock. Gail still remembered his first winter, when he had showed up at their door in the largest snowsuit imaginable.

"So Elaine put you through the right of passage, huh? Making you attend this thing?"

Arnie knew how serious her parents were about the Peck police dynasty. It had actually been her parents who had inspired him to take up civil service as well.

"Yeah, pretty much twisted my sergeant's balls 'til he let me," she said. Her mother had swept through the station, leaving a trail of destruction and mild hysteria in her wake as always. She'd marched straight up to Gail and handed her the plane ticket before informing her she was to go home and pack so she could leave the very next day. Gail had tried to protest, but Frank had told her she was to be their representative at the conference, that it was a big honor, yadda yadda yadda. "So I didn't think they let _your kind_ in to these kinds of things?"

Arnie gripped at his chest. "Ouch, burned," he said with a wink. "Ragging on my job never gets old from you Pecks."

She started to say, "It's not too late to join the real-" but he cut her off again.

"Don't you dare!" he warned.

"Fine, fine." She surrendered. "You talked to my brother lately?"

"Yeah, we went out for drink the other night," he told her, "You know, at a neutral location."

"Right," she said with a laugh. "Your kind aren't allowed in the Penny!"

Arnie's phone beeped suddenly. He dug it out of his pocket.

"Sorry, Gail, I gotta go." He smiled at her. "I'm meeting some guys at a bar down the street. You wanna tag along? See how the real heroes drink?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sadly I have plans."

Arnie's eyebrows rose. "Got a boy waiting for you?"

Gail smirked. "A lesbian."

"Well, Gail Peck, I never would have thought," he said doing his best impression of an old Southern lady.

She swatted at his hands as he attempted to stroke her face. "Get away from me, weirdo. I'm probably late as is."

He hugged her again, though roughly enough this time that it cracked her back. "Let me know when you've got some time, Peck. I'm an important person in your life and you need to spend time with me."

She pushed past him towards the elevators. "Whatever, ash-breather."

"See ya, lead-for-brains!"

Gail took a deep breath. She was standing outside Holly's room. In one hand she clutched a tequila bottle, in the other she held a bag of cheese puffs. She stared at the door, unsure as to whether or not to proceed. It felt like an important moment, this one, even though in the realm of things this was someone she'd probably never see after this weekend. The thought oddly made Gail feel sad.

Maybe she shouldn't get invested. It would hurt to make such a close friend only to have to leave her behind. Holly was cool. Holly probably had tons of friends in Ottawa. She'd go home and not think twice about Gail.

Gail cursed, stepping back from the door. Just as she made her decision to bolt, the door flew open.

Holly stopped suddenly in front of her. When she realized who it was outside her door, a smile broke across her face, one Gail found hard not to return. "Hey."

"Hey," Gail said, feeling as awkward as she could for almost running out on the pathologist. She adjusted her grip on the items in hand to avoid her guilt, shifting from side to side.

Holly grabbed the tequila bottle by the neck and ushered Gail into the room, holding the door open for her to pass. Gail was amazed at how neat everything was. Holly's clothes were hanging in the closet, and she was sure that if she opened the drawers to the dresser, there would be clothes neatly folded in it as well. Gail's room, on the other hand, looked like her closet had taken a plane ride and exploded there.

She turned to Holly, who was setting the tequila down on the dresser beside the TV.

"Pizza should be here in a minute. I went ahead and ordered. I hope you don't mind?" Holly said. "One large barbeque chicken pizza. No tomato products of any kind need apply."

Holly seemed to remember her allergy better than most men she'd dated.

"Where were you going?" Gail asked as she threw the cheese puff bags onto the TV stand.

Holly frowned. "When?"

Gail gestured towards the door. "Just now, you opened the door like you were going somewhere."

"OH! Yeah, I was going to get ice," Holly said, turning on her heels. "Which I will now actually go and do."

She made it to the door before Gail called her back. "Uh, Holls?"

"Hmm?" Holly turned.

Gail gestured to the ice bucket that sat very plainly in sight on the other side of the TV. She hadn't had it when she'd open the door. "Forgetting something? Again?"

Holly looked where Gail was pointing, dawning realization on her face. "Oh yeah," she said, crossing the room to pick up the bucket. "Might help, huh."

"Little bit."

When the hotel door swung closed and Holly left (with the bucket), Gail let out a long breath. Again she asked herself, why did she feel so nervous? She went over to the tequila bottle and took a swig to calm her nerves. The burn felt good.

She took it with her as she went to the washroom. Just like the room, the bathroom was in pristine condition. Nothing was out of place. Towels hung and rolled, as they should be. Even Holly's makeup was set out in an orderly fashion. What a nerd.

She glanced herself over in the mirror. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she looked alright, she thought. She was dressed in a tight pair of dark jeans with knee-high boots and a bright blue shirt that she always thought made her eyes pop. Not that that really mattered tonight. She was just hanging out with Holly after all.

She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment before taking another swig. Holly was taking far too long to bring back that ice.

There was a knock at the door. The pizza?

Gail went to answer, tequila still in hand. When she looked through the peephole, Holly was standing there awkwardly, ice bucket clutched to her chest. Gail let out a breathy laugh as she opened the door.

Holly smiled shyly at her. "Uh…hi."

Gail pursed her lips, trying hard not to laugh. "You forget something else, nerd?"

"You mean my dignity? My pride?" Holly said, stepping forward. Gail blocked her entrance.

"Yeah all that and perhaps a key to your hotel room?" Gail asked.

Holly shoved past her. "Shut up."

Gail giggled, letting the door shut. "Did the pretty girl showing up at your door distract you?"

The pathologist rolled her eyes. "You are such a brat."

Strutting over to the bed, Gail flung herself down onto it, careful not to spill a drop of tequila. No need to waste alcohol. Holly placed the ice down beside the TV and then walked over to where Gail's head lay. At this angle, she towered over the blonde.

When she leaned down, her hair cascaded into a curtain around their heads. Holly's face was closed to hers. Her shirt was precariously loose above Gail's head, and the blonde felt her eyes being drawn towards the space there. She blinked.

That's when she felt the bottle slipping from her hands. Her grip tightened. Holly smiled crookedly at her. She pulled at the bottle again. Gail's eyes narrowed.

Holly's head tilted. "Come on, you aren't going to share?"

Gail clutched the bottle with both hands. "Nope, get your own. I think I need the whole bottle after today's mind numbing lecture series."

Just then there was a knock on the door. Holly glanced up, relenting in their battle of the bottle. As she headed to answer the door, pulling bills out of her jean pocket, she threw Gail a look over her shoulder. "I guess I'll just eat this pizza all by myself."

Gail sat up. "You wouldn't DARE!"

"Watch me!"

Holly opened the door. A delivery girl stood there. She was tall and lean with so many piercings in her ears Gail couldn't decipher where her actual ears were.

"Pizza?" the girl said. She glanced over at Gail on the bed, before her eyes pinged back to Holly. She offered her the pizza box and told her the price.

Holly handed her the bills and told her to keep the change.

The girl smirked, glancing between them again. "Enjoy."

She wiggled her eyebrows at Gail out of Holly's sight as the door swung to a close. Gail's frown deepened.

"Hey," Holly said as she sat down on the bed, pizza in her lap. "I was just kidding about not sharing, you know."

She nudged Gail's shoulder playfully. When she opened the box, the delicious smell of cheese, barbeque, and chicken filled the room. Gail's stomach rumbled in response. She hadn't really eaten since they ate at the diner that morning and she was starving. Maybe that was what was going on with her. She was just hungry. The tequila probably didn't help either.

She offered Holly the tequila bottle as the brunette offered her the first slice. Holly took a big swig of tequila, wincing a bit at the intensity.

Gail glanced around them for something to place the slice on. She turned back when Holly sighed.

"Yeah, I have no plates," she said, "I maybe should have thought this whole thing all the way through."

Gail pushed the pizza box halfway onto both their laps. She leaned over it as she took a giant bite of pizza, humming in approval of the flavor.

"It's ok," she said through her chewing, "Plates will only slow us down."

A short time and four pizza slices each later, Gail and Holly were sprawled in opposite directions on the bed. Gail's feet were pressed against the headboard while Holly's feet hung off the end. They passed the bottle of tequila between them, the rest of the pizza lying off to the side forgotten.

Gail thought this was nice. This was what real friends did, wasn't it? This was what she did with Andy and Traci on occasion. That is until she had been exiled from the group. Even though it wasn't her fault Andy was sleeping with her ex.

She frowned and grabbed the bottle out of Holly's hand a bit more forcibly, taking a large swig. By this time, the alcohol was making her feel fuzzy and warm all over. It helped drive away the thoughts of betrayal and outrage.

"You alright?" Holly said, her word a bit slurred and more languid than normal. Her smile was easy and crooked.

Gail nodded. "Peachy keen, nerdbian."

Holly giggled. She sat up and reached for the bottle. Gail, who sat up as well, held it away from her.

"Gail," Holly whined, making grabby hands for the tequila.

Gail shook her head. "Tell me a secret, nerd, and you'll get it back."

Holly sank back a bit, letting her arm drop as she contemplated Gail's request. "A secret, huh?"

Gail nodded. "Yup, a secret for booze."

"And then will you tell me a secret of yours?" Holly asked back.

The blonde didn't like telling secrets. The walls she'd built up never allowed any secrets to escape under her careful watch. Maybe it was the tequila, maybe it was Holly's easy manner, maybe it was the way she was looking at Gail, but the cop found herself nodding.

"Yeah, secret for secrets."

"And alcohol."

Gail laughed. "And alcohol."

Holly leaned back, her hands supporting herself on the comforter. She let her head fall back to study the ceiling as she lost herself in thought. It took a moment, and during this time Gail really looked at Holly.

She was wearing a tight pair of blue jeans that accentuated her long thin legs. The top she had one was an olive green with a swooping neckline that accentuated her skin tone and…other assets rather well. Her glasses were sitting on the bedside table now, discarded as they laid back, so now even with her head tilted back Gail could see her eyes a bit better. They were a deep brown. Gail had always thought brown eyes were flat and almost colorless, but she could see layer upon layer of colors wrapping together to form the brown that made up Holly's eyes. They were rather beautiful, just like Holly herself.

Holly let out a long sigh before finally looking at Gail. Gail blinked and tried to seem as though she hadn't been staring. Holly's smirk was telling her she had probably been caught.

"When I was fifteen years old, this girl moved in next door," Holly began. "She was a year older. Her name was Talia. She was the first I think, the first time I really saw a girl and went kind of 'Oh.' It was the feelings my friends described when they saw cute boys. I never really got those feelings though. I tried. I always kind of thought there was something wrong with me, you know?"

Her eyes met Gail's at this point. The brown seemed to deepen like she was looking for some reassurance that she wasn't alone.

Gail nodded. She understood what it felt like to feel wrong.

Holly, seemingly satisfied, continued, "That is, until Talia. She was tall and muscular, but lean at the same time. She had black hair and tanned skin. She was gorgeous. I, however, was all lank and clumsy. I hadn't yet grown into my skin, I guess. So anyway, somehow miraculously, Talia and I seemed to share some of the same friends, so sometimes at parties or events we'd run into each other. She never really seemed to know me besides the fact that I lived next door. That is until one night, she offered me a ride after a football game. I took her up on it, of course. Nothing happened on the car ride there, we just made small talk. She asked about the science fair, which I didn't know she knew I was in, and I asked about basketball."

Holly looked down at this point, like she couldn't bear to keep Gail's eye as she told this next part. "I don't know what got into me. We were in the driveway, and she was talking about being point guard. Before I knew it, I had lunged across the seat and kissed her."

Gail inhaled sharply. The tequila bottle was now almost forgotten in her lap.

"I ran so fast out of that car." Holly's eyes were closed. "We never talked about it. I avoided her like the plague for most of the rest of the year. I never told anyone, and as far as I know she never told anyone either. Thank god. I had been so afraid to go to school the next Monday to find that the whole school knew. They didn't though. She never said a thing."

Gail reached out and covered Holly's hand with her own. Holly opened her eyes.

"I've never told anyone about her before now."

Gail handed her the tequila. "That story deserves this."

Holly smiled, grabbing the bottle and taking a long drink. "Alright Peck. Tell me a secret."

Gail frowned. She had been so wrapped up in Holly's story she'd forgotten to come up with her own.

What could she say? What secret could make it past the defenses she had so fiercely kept up? What wouldn't send this gorgeous creature running?

She felt the answer bubble up inside her. She couldn't stop it as the secret spilled out. "I'm afraid I'll never be someone's first choice."

Why was it _that_? Anything but that! Damn the tequila.

Holly frowned. "What do you mean?"

Gail swallowed the lump in her throat. She wished for the alcohol back, at least so she'd have something to do with her hands.

"I mean…" She paused, taking a deep breath, "What I mean is that in all of my past relationships, I've always been the easy choice, the she's hot so that makes her worth putting up with choice until someone better comes along. I've never felt like anyone has chosen me for, well, me. It's always my looks or our past or something. I'm put up with, not liked, and certainly not loved. Maybe that means I just don't deserve it."

She wasn't looking at Holly anymore. In fact, she was squeezing her eyes as tightly shut as possible. She would not cry. This would be a stupid thing to cry over. Pecks didn't cry.

"Hey." Holly's voice was soft and hoarse and full of something Gail couldn't recognize. She opened her eyes. Holly was so close that every time she breathed out Gail could feel it on her skin. "Someone will think you are the sun and the moon. That the world cannot turn without your smile. That your snark and bite are all part of a charm to cover what you really are."

Gail felt her insides harden a bit, not with walls snapping back, but more like someone molding a suit of armor just for her. "And what am I exactly?"

Holly poked at her stomach. "A big softy with an ooey gooey center."

She scowled, swatting Holly's hand away. "I am not!"

The pathologist giggled and handed over Gail's prize. "Here, you deserve this, Officer Softy."

Gail glared, snatching the tequila away.

Holly collapsed back down on the mattress, hair fanning out in all directions. "I've got another secret for you."

"Oh yeah?" Gail said, leaning down on her elbow so she kind of hovered over Holly, who turned to look at her.

"Yeah," Holly said softly. She couldn't seem to hold Gail's gaze, or maybe Gail couldn't hold hers.

Gail licked her lips.

"I…uh…" Holly trailed off.

It felt very hot in there all of a sudden. Gail needed space; she needed air. Too many secrets lay bare before them, and she needed to put her guards back up before she let this woman take anymore down.

She flopped down beside Holly, turning completely on her back away from her.

Holly let out a breath.

"So what's the secret?" Gail asked after a moment. She held up the prize. "No talky, no alky."

"I once took up miming for a summer when I was eight."

"Of course, you did."

"Hey, that earns me the tequila, not you another swig!"

"Whatever, nerd, I need it to wash the image of you trapped in an invisible box out of my brain."

"Just tell me another secret, Gail, and hand over the alcohol!"

**I'm like 2500 words into chapter 5 already so hopefully you won't have to wait very long for the next post. I hope you guys like Arnie. He'll be around for a while. Thanks to joiedevivre2011, my lovely gf, for beta-ing when she could be writing. Anyway reviews fuel my soul much like coffee.**


	5. Chapter 5

When Gail woke up the next morning, it wasn't to the normal sound of her alarm. She was startled awake by the hand closing around her middle. There was a body pressed against her back. A knee stuck between hers. A nose buried in between her shoulder blades. Gail was afraid to move and see whom exactly she had taken into bed.

Her head ached with the distinct dull buzzing that came from drinking tequila. Her mouth tasted as if someone had died. This wasn't a good way to start her day.

One glance at the clock on the nightstand told her it was 5 am. Her internal alarm woke her from years of early mornings on the force. She had enough time before the seminars began again. That's when she noticed the pair of glasses folded there, the lenses reflecting the red glare of the clock digits angrily.

Holly.

She peeked over her shoulder and saw the pathologist sound asleep, hair splayed across the pillow behind her. Her face was serene, at least what Gail could see of it. Holly seemed to have burrowed her face into Gail's back at some point in the night.

Gail wasn't sure exactly what to do. She was afraid to move, lest she awaken Holly and have to deal with the awkwardness that was their current cuddle session. Maybe it wouldn't be awkward. Friends could cuddle, right? Even ones that are attracted to the same sex?

She made an attempt to slide out of Holly's arms, but the grip tightened around her waist, fingertips brushing against the exposed skin of Gail's stomach. It sent a shiver through her. Holly sighed and wiggled closer. Her knee was pressing into a particularly sensitive spot. Gail needed to get out of here.

She made the decision, and moved quickly to execute it. She tucked her arms to her chest and rolled off the bed. Managing to catch herself mostly, she was almost silent as she hit the soft maroon carpet.

Slowly, she lifted herself up to peek over the mattress edge. Holly was still sound asleep, though her face was scrunched and her hands reached out. When she found nothing beside her, she sighed and turned to face the other direction.

Gail stood there for a moment just looking at the sleeping form of her new friend. She was lying on her stomach, wearing an over large shirt, and though the sheet covered her lower half, Gail was sure she was wearing short shorts.

Gail swallowed.

With one last look, she grabbed her shoes and, after second thought, the bag of half-eaten cheese puffs, left as quietly as she could. It was only after the door clicked that Gail realized she wasn't wearing her clothes. Instead she was in a pair of flannel pajama pants and what she guessed was a softball shirt with _Forensic Hitters_ on the front. She was sure it would say _Stewart_ across the back if she could see it.

The unfortunate thing was the key to her room was in her jean pocket. Jeans that were inside the room she had just locked herself out of.

She wasn't about to go knock on the door and face Holly after she ran from the room like she was on fire. She thought of the shameful trudge down to the front desk to ask them for a new key. She cringed at the thought.

But she didn't have much other choice, now did she?

She hit the call button for the elevator, dreading every moment as she waiting as it ascended floors. She could only hope it was so early that no one would be in the lobby or notice the crazy girl in flannel pajamas.

Of course the universe would rather see her humiliated. The elevator dinged as it approached her floor. The doors opened to reveal a lone rider: Arnie Olsen.

They stared at each other. He had obviously gone running or hit the gym. He was in workout clothes and sweating into a towel looped around his neck. He took one look at what she was wearing and burst into laughter.

"One night with a lesbian, and she's already got you in flannel!" he practically barked in laughter, bending over to try and catch his breath.

The doors dinged and tried to close on her, but she thrust her arm between them. She stepped inside the elevator, smacking the still laughing Arnie, before hitting the lobby button.

"Aren't you getting out?" she asked, gesturing towards the open doors.

Arnie shook his head. He took a few deep breaths before he could manage to speak again. The doors closed. "Oh, no, hun, I've gotta see this!"

She glared at him. "I hate you."

"Hate you too, babe," he replied. He was way too perky this early.

They watch as the elevator descended floors. As they closed in on the lobby, he asked, "Do I even want to ask why you're going to the lobby?"

Gail sighed. "I don't have my key."

"Or your clothes," he noted.

She ignored him and continued to do so as the doors opened into the lobby. She moved straight to the front desk, self-conscious now that she was around other people. She regretted not at least stopping to put her shoes actually on her feet.

She tried to seem confident as she moved to speak to the receptionist.

"Hi," she said, folding her arms on top of the counter. She tried to channel as much of Elaine Peck's authoritative presence as she could.

The receptionist smiled amusedly at her, running her eyes briefly down her pajama-clad body. "Hello, how can I help you?"

Gail deflated a little. "I locked myself out."

The receptionist, Tina as her nametag read, nodded sympathetically. "Alright, I can help you with that. Name?"

Gail gave her all her information. It took barely anytime before she was in possession of a whole new keycard. She thanked Tina, promising she wouldn't lock herself out again.

Tina laughed. "Let's hope so."

When Gail turned to leave, Arnie was still behind her. She glared at him. "Must you be here?"

Arnie nodded. "Oh yeah, I'm not letting you get away without telling me what went on last night!"

She didn't answer. Instead she walked back to the elevators. All she wanted was to be back in her room, take a shower, brush her teeth, and wash away last night from her skin. She wasn't sure why it made her so uncomfortable. They had only sat and talked. Maybe it was the sharing secrets. She wasn't so great about sharing anything, especially things she kept so close to the chest. After the first reveal, even the tequila couldn't convince her to reveal anything else too personal.

There had just been something so comfortable about Holly. Something about her made Gail want to trust her, made her subconsciously tell her things.

She shook herself of these thoughts as the elevator reached her floor. She was silent as Arnie followed her to her room. When opened the door, she swung around, blocking his entry.

"Hey, come on, Gail," he said, "You know you wanna tell me what happened!"

She pursed her lips at him, shooting him her most lethal glare. "No, Arnie, I don't. It's none of your damn business. I'm going to go take a shower and start my day. I suggest from the way you smell that you do the same."

Before he could answer, however, she slammed the door in his face.

After she had showered, feeling a bit more human, she felt a bit ashamed of running out like that. With the day's schedule though, she didn't have much time to contemplate it.

It was only 11 am, and she had already been to two different lectures. Her arms were overflowing with notes and pamphlets. She was walking down the hallway, rushing to her next lecture when she took a corner a bit too sharply and ran straight into someone who had been leaning casually against the wall.

She would have fallen straight on her ass if a hand hadn't enclosed around her wrist, then another steadying her waist. Her notes spilled to the floor.

"Shit!" Gail exclaimed.

"Gail? Are you alright?" It was Holly. Because of course it was Holly.

Gail felt suddenly shy. She was sure her cheeks were flushed from embarrassment. "Holly! Hey…yeah, no, I'm fine. I'm good. I'm…" she trailed off.

"Fine?" Holly suggested with that infuriating half smile. She leaned her shoulder back against the wall, releasing Gail to shove her hands into her back pockets.

Gail chuckled uncomfortably. "Yeah."

There was an awkward pause.

"So…," Holly started, but stopped as Gail rocked forward, mouth open to say something. Though now that she thought of it, she had no idea what she was about to say.

They both laughed. Holly leaned down and began to pick up Gail's notes. Gail joined her.

"Heading to the lecture on piecing together crimes through evidence on living victims?" Holly asked. She thrust her thumb to the lecture hall door on the other end of the hall.

Gail nodded. "Um yeah, actually."

Holly stood, handing her the last of her fallen papers. "Good, me too. Come on, then, let's find some seats."

She didn't move to touch Gail like the blonde had expected. She just picked her bag up off the floor and headed to the door, not looking to see if Gail was even following. Gail, of course, found herself numbly walking behind the pathologist like she was caught in a gravitation pull of nerdiness.

They found seats towards the middle of the hall just as the lights dimmed and the presenter walked out.

Holly didn't even glance her way. She stared at the presenter with an interested, contemplative look on her face.

Gail couldn't help but gaze at her. She didn't seem mad. She didn't seem to find it weird that they had fallen asleep together and when she had woken up that Gail was nowhere to be found. The only evidence of her even being there would have been her clothes and an empty tequila bottle. She wondered how Holly felt about that.

The presenter started speaking, drawing Gail's attention towards him. He was a tall, lean man, balding. He had bottle-cap glasses. He was probably her father's age. For some reason, she couldn't help but feel as though they had met before.

She leaned over to Holly. "Who is he?"

Holly seemed startled. "Him? Dr. Richards? You've probably met him before. He's a pathologist in Toronto."

"Oh," she said, moving back into her seat. They must work together. She'd never paid much attention to the nerd squad.

"Forensic science is all about piecing together a crime from limited amounts of evidence. Normally we have nothing but evidence like fiber and dirt samples; however when there is a living victim, it makes our jobs both easier and harder at the same time. While living victims can give testimony, their memories, especially during traumatic events, are not the most accurate. When the victim has died, all we have is clinical evidence that cannot contradict itself. When the victim is still alive, their accounts tend to change over time as events either become clearer or foggier," Dr. Richards said. He was standing at a computer. He queued up a projector with a slide show. The first slide said: _Science of Living Victims_.

Gail sighed. She was already bored, but he took out her notepad all the same and began to write.

"My name is Dr. Richards. I am the lead forensic scientist of Toronto, Canada. Dealing with such a large city and a large police force leads to a number of crimes where the victims have survived attacks. I will be presenting a number of cases where I have dealt with a living victim and then explaining the evidence behind how their testimonies, along with the forensics, helped piece together the crime."

Gail slumped into her seat and yawned. Holly elbowed her. Gail glared at her. The pathologist just shook her head and turned her attention back to the presentation.

Dr. Richards clicked to the next slide. It was a crime scene photo. A metal slab stood in the middle of what looked like a basement room. Gail felt a jolt run through her. Certainly this couldn't be….

"Our first case to analyze deals with a taxi driver who kidnapped prostitutes, then drugged them and tied them up in this basement before raping and murdering them. Police performed an undercover operation, which resulted in the arrest of the wrong person. The real assailant took the undercover officer home before kidnapping her. She survived, thanks to a detective who gave his life to save hers. It is her testimony that we will be analyzing."

Gail's entire body stiffened. It felt like someone had dropped her into ice water. Her insides were trying to force their way through her throat. This could not be happening.

Dr. Richards continued to the next slide. It was a picture of Gail. Even with her face blurred out, she knew. She remembered when they took these photos, cataloguing her injuries. Dr. Richards was still talking. Something about the drugs that were present in her system and the lacerations obtained by her struggling. Gail, on the other hand, couldn't move. Her wrists felt the cold binding against them. She felt like she had no control over her body anymore. This had to be a nightmare. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to breathe. _Wake up, Gail, _she told herself, _This isn't real_.

She could hear the clicking of his heels, the wingtips hitting against the concrete. _Click, click_.

"Gail?" Holly's voice only slightly registered. It sounded as though she were underwater. Gail couldn't bring herself to answer.

_None of this is real!_

_Click, click_.

But when she opened her eyes again, she was still sitting there. Even worse, Richards had changed the slide. Though his face was blurred, she recognized him instantly.

Jerry.

She was up and out of her chair before she knew it, sprinting as fast as she could from the room. She was sure she had abandoned her notepads, but she didn't care. She couldn't breathe. She was going to be sick.

Somehow she managed to make it to the bathroom before she puked her guts out into the nearest toilet. She sputtered and gagged long after everything had cleared from her system. Then she dry heaved.

Her hair moved from her shoulders, and a soothing hand rubbed down her spine. Holly. She knew it was her without even looking up.

She spit into the toilet, then flushed it and slumped down to the floor. She was crying, she realized. Tears stung her eyes. The lump in her throat made her voice falter on itself as she tried to say something, anything, to the other woman. She buried her face in her hands, pressing her palms into her closed eyes. _Pull yourself together, Peck_, she told herself.

"Gail, sweetie," Holly said, kneeling down on the tiled floor next to her.

Gail allowed her to take her wrists and pull her hands away from her eyes. Holly's hands felt warm and silky against her skin, nothing like the cold metal shackles that ghosted there. Holly's face was a blur through the tears. She was concerned, that much was evident. Before she could stop herself, Gail launched herself into Holly's arms, clutching onto her as though she might fall apart unless Holly held her together.

"It's alright," she whispered into the blonde's hair as she rubbed soothing circles onto her back. "No one can hurt you."

The thing was, Gail believed her. With Holly's arms around her, she felt safe. Even crumpled here on the bathroom floor. She wasn't sure what that meant.

She tried to take a few deep, long breaths. Holly smelled earthy. Not like dirt or anything but as if someone had bottled up the feelings of sunshine on your face and added it to flowers. She smelled like warmth.

They stayed that way for a while. How long exactly Gail wasn't sure, but it was until her tears subsided and she felt a bit calmer.

When she pulled back, Holly let her go, hands moving from Gail's wrists to fall onto her lap.

"What do you need?" she asked. Her voice was soft, even though it echoed a bit in the stall.

Gail went to get up, but Holly stood immediately, offering her a hand. She took it, allowing the other woman to haul her to her feet.

"I just want to get out of here," Gail said, brushing off her pants. "Screw the conference."

Holly nodded. "Alright, I know exactly where to go."

Gail opened her mouth to saw something, but made a face and closed her mouth again.

"First I need to brush my teeth."

They both went to their own rooms, changed, and Gail brushed her teeth. She felt a bit more like herself. She was tying her hair up in a quick braid, when there was a knock on the door.

She finished with her hair as she crossed the room. When she looked the peephole, Holly stood on the other side of the door, rocking on her heels.

"Hey," Gail said as she opened the door.

Holly smiled, brightly. "Hey, ready to go?"

Gail nodded, checking to make sure she had her key and wallet before shutting the door.

"Where are we going?"

Holly shook her head, striding down the hallway. "Not telling."

Gail scowled. "I don't like surprises, nerd."

Holly shrugged and said nothing.

They rode the elevator down to the lobby. Holly headed straight outside. Gail followed, wondering what the hell this woman had in store for her. She was still feeling a bit raw, honestly. Her throat stung. Her voice was scratchy. Her limbs felt heavy.

Seeing Holly throw a smile over her shoulder to make sure she was still behind her made her heart feel a little less burdened though. With each step, she felt a bit better. With the hustle and bustle of New York around them, it was easier to forget the nightmares left behind in that lecture hall.

They reached a subway stop. Gail descended the stairs, following Holly, who whipped out a subway card. She scanned it, went through the turnstile and handed it to Gail.

They just managed to board the train before the doors closed.

After a moment, Gail started getting antsy. "Seriously where are we going, Holly?"

Holly turned to Gail, thoughtfully. "Do you like museums?"

The question threw Gail off. "Uh, yeah, I guess."

Holly nodded, starring out at the swiftly moving tunnels out the window. "Good, that's where we're going."

Of course, the nerd was taking her to a museum.

When they stopped, Gail silently followed Holly. They emerged onto street level at Central Park. Gail glanced up at the street sign: 86th ST.

"Come on, Gail!" Holly said as she jogged towards a bus now stopping.

"We need a bus too?" Gail exclaimed, running after her.

The bus cut them across the park. It was nice, calming even all this green amongst the metal. It was sunny so there were a lot of people out. People walking dogs, jogging, couples taking strolls together. Gail took a deep breath.

Holly shifted in the seat beside her, away from the older man sitting on the other side. Gail smiled softly at her as their sides brushed, and Holly returned it.

When they eventually got off the bus, they were by a large building with giant stone steps. Gail recognized the building immediately.

She turned to Holly who seemed way to smug with herself. "You brought me to the Met?"

Holly waved a hand towards the building. "Apparently so. What're your feelings on art?"

Gail's eyes narrowed. "You really are a serious nerd, aren't you?"

Holly started up the stairs. "As you continually remind me, Officer."

It was nice. Holly hadn't asked her a single thing about what happened. No 'how are you?'. No 'do you want to talk about it?'. It was something Gail always feared if she let go. But there were no questions; actually they weren't talking about anything but art.

They started with the Egyptian exhibit. Giant stone structures rose high above them, surrounded them with figures of cats and gods, or perhaps cat-gods.

They passed through what Holly described as some sort of chapel. The ancient walls surrounded them, separated by Plexiglas. It created a kind of silence, muffling the shuffle of people out into the other areas of the museum. The quiet was soothing. It brought Gail's still tempestuous heart down a notch.

Plus the scene depicted on the wall was a hunt and a dog attacking a hyena. So it was kind of cool in Gail's opinion. Not that she'd tell the nerd that.

Holly was truly in her element, it seemed. Every gallery she seemed to know something about. The stone statues of pharaohs held a part of her brain. She went on and on about Egyptian history and myths. Why one god was more important than another, why they turned from polytheism to monotheism with some guy name Akhenaten and his sun god.

Man, Holly really was a nerd.

The last of the Egyptian artifacts was a large monument, towering overhead, called the Temple of Dendur.

"It was a gift to the US from Egypt," Holly said, hands flying as she spoke. "For helping save monuments from the rising waters of the Nile."

Gail's eyes narrowed, never leaving Holly even in the sight of this amazing feat of ancient architecture. She was kind of adorable in her enthusiasm.

Holly caught her stare. Her hands stilled mid-air. "What?"

"You've seen every documentary on the History Channel, haven't you?" Gail remarked with a smirk.

Holly blushed, hands dropping. "No."

"Liar," Gail said, nudging Holly's shoulder playfully.

She was rewarded with that crooked smile. "Ok, maybe. I just find it all interesting!"

Gail nodded. "It is. I just can't imagine how you keep it all in your brain."

Holly gripped the side of her head. She closed her eyes and proclaimed, "I know all!"

The blonde rolled her eyes at the dramatic declaration. What a dweeb. "Come on, nerd, before you start telling me you've seen the mermaid documentary."

The look on Holly's face told Gail she already had.

"You're kidding!?"

Holly shrugged. "It was on TV!"

Gail scoffed.

As they continued through the galleries, they got a bit lost in the American wing, which consisted of a maze of old furniture and a large circular room with a painting of Versailles on the walls.

The American wing ended with a large, open space filled with sculptures. It was breath taking. They circled around a black sculpture of a boy hugging a duck.

Gail glanced at the nameplate and snorted.

"What?" Holly asked.

Gail gestured to the plate. "This is so creatively called _Boy and Duck_."

Holly laughed. "Well, what would you call it?"

Her brow scrunched as she thought on that. What would she call it? "_I've Got Dinner_?"

She would never get over making Holly laugh.

"How bout _Duck Season_?"

"_I Go Hunting Naked_?"

They giggled over their choices in names so much that an older woman passing by shot them a look, gesturing with her finger for them to quiet down. Before Gail could snap at her, Holly grabbed the blonde's hand and walked quickly from the gallery.

They passed through a gallery with a large screen that Holly said was for Spanish choirs. This space was filled with medieval religious art, tapestries, sculptures, and altarpieces.

There were gorgeous collections of stained glass a few rooms later. While Gail wasn't a very religious person, as the last time she had gone to church for anything but a funeral or wedding was well over a decade ago, she found the colors and depictions in the stained glass beautiful.

There was more colorful furniture that she didn't find much interest in. She was about to voice this opinion when they passed through to another room.

It was a long room filled with more statues. At its center, a statue of a naked man stood holding a severed head.

"Now this is more like it!" Gail exclaimed hurrying up to the statue.

Holly laughed. "Of course you'd like the one with the severed head."

Gail smiled wide at her. "Duh! So what's this one about?"

Holly circled to the other side. "You know who Medusa is?"

"Of course. Turned men to stone."

"Right, well, that's her head," Holly said, waving a hand to the stone head in the man's hand. "And this is Perseus. The hero who killed her."

The way she said _hero_ made Gail pause. "You don't consider that heroic"

The pathologist's lips pursed. "Depends on which myth you believe. One myth says that Medusa was raped by Poseidon in Athena's temple, so Athena gave Medusa the power to protect herself. Some say she punished her for it, but I would like to think that Athena gifted Medusa to never be a victim again."

Gail closed her eyes. She could hear the _click, click_ of the wingtips again. They crept up the back of her mind, unsuspecting. She wanted to take the power back. She wasn't a victim anymore.

Gail rounded to Holly's side, slipping her hand into Holly's hand. Holly didn't react. They didn't look at each other. Instead they stared at Perseus.

"That wouldn't make him much of a hero, would it?"

Holly shook her head. "No, it wouldn't."

"I think," Gail said, staring at Medusa's face. "I think I'm ready to talk about it now. If you're willing to hear it?"

Holly squeezed her hand. "Of course."

**Sorry to blindside you with Jerry/kidnapping feels. I hope the Met scenes made up for it. Those took a lot of research and interactive mapping (it's been 5 years since I've been there), so the galleries and art pieces are real there. They only got through a very small portion of the museum. If you're ever in NY, I suggest going. Anyway thank you all for reading, reviewing, and such. Y'all are amazing. Thanks to my beta, joiedevivre2011, for reading this long chapter. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated. Please let me know how I'm doing!**


	6. Chapter 6

This called for ice cream. At least according to Holly it did. So before Gail talked about anything, they hunted down a nearby ice cream cart.

Holly bought mint chocolate chip in a cup, while Gail got a whopping amount of peanut butter chocolate onto a waffle cone. Holly laughed at the excitement clear on the blonde's face about her ice cream cone.

"Ice cream," Gail said between licks, "is a serious matter, Holly!"

Holly rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."

They headed back to the museum, where they perched on the stone steps. The sun was out and felt wonderful on her skin after spending so much time in air conditioning over the past few days. Gail leaned back on her elbows, careful not to spill her cone.

They sat there for a little while, quietly eating their respective ice creams. Holly didn't push her to say anything. She simply giggled at the sheer volume per second Gail consumed her ice cream. Holly wasn't even half done by the time the blonde shoved the end of the cone into her mouth.

"You are going to get a stomach ache, you know?" Holly said, taking a reasonable size bite.

Gail clapped her hands on her stomach. "Nah, it's all steel in here."

"I thought it was all cheese puff?" Holly retorted.

Contemplating that for a second, Gail agreed.

"Stomach of cheese dust, voice of daggers, heart of gold," Holly said, drinking the melted ice cream at the bottom of her cup.

Gail made a face. "I don't know about heart of gold."

Holly looked at her. Really looked at her. For so long that it made Gail uncomfortable. Then she glanced away, shuffling over on the step so their sides brushed.

"You're all mush in there, Gail Peck. Even if you won't admit it, I can see right through that armor," Holly told her.

The officer wasn't sure how to respond. How could Holly sound so confident in who she was? How could this incredible woman want to be anywhere near such a wreck of a human being?

"It was last year."

Holly's body tensed next to her. Gail could tell she was nervous to hear the story, probably as nervous as Gail was to tell it. No one wanted to hear how someone got kidnapped and got their friend's fiancé killed.

"I, uh, well there was this investigation. A woman had gone missing, and it turned out she was a professional escort. They found some connections to other cases of dead escorts, all tying back to one man who had taken each one of these women out. They needed some way to draw him out, and I volunteered. I was his type after all. So they set up my profile. Jasmine."

Holly let out a breathy laugh at Jasmine. It made Gail smile. She glanced over at Holly. "I know, right? McNally chose it. I told her I didn't want to be a freaking Disney princess, but what do I know about being an escort?"

"I can't imagine you as a Jasmine," the scientist said, looking her over a second. She nodded to herself as if she agreed with her conclusion that the blonde was _so _not a Jasmine.

Gail kind of grunted in agreement. She took a deep breath, turning to stare straight ahead as she continued. "So the guy took the bait, wanted to meet at this fancy hotel restaurant. The detectives set up everything with the manager. He was the only one who knew we were there. I waited at the bar, drank a little to settle my nerves, and waited for him to show up. He did."

She stopped for a minute to settle herself. This was actually a bit easier to get off her chest than she thought it'd be. Of course, she hadn't gotten to the tough bits yet.

"So we had a date. Well, basically we talked. I told him things about myself and how I thought my friends viewed me. Stuff I shouldn't have told a suspect, but Noelle had said to make it real and what did it matter? He was going to be in jail soon anyway. At the end, we were supposed to head up to a room. Andy and Nick were to go ahead of us and be ready to burst in, when I called room service for some champagne. But the suspect didn't want to go to the room. Instead he wanted to go for a ride in his car. At this point, I was panicking inside. I mean, I could die. My backup didn't know where I was! I knew I had to remain in control though, I knew they were watching the security cameras. So I flashed what section of the parking garage we were on to the camera."

Gail shifted a bit, swallowing. She wished she had some water. Even with the smoothness of the ice cream, her throat was still rough from being sick.

"Once inside his car, I insisted in an exchange of money. He agreed to get that out of the way, so we could enjoy ourselves. He handed me the money, and that's when my backup found us. They arrested him. Job done, right?"

This was where it was going to get a bit more serious. She threw her head back to stare at the bright blue sky above them. She could tell Holly was looking at her, but she couldn't look back and still tell her the rest of the story. She wouldn't have the strength to finish it seeing Holly's face.

"I was staying at McNally's…Andy's, so when the case finished, I was allowed to leave. Andy asked if I needed her to come with me home. I told her I'd be fine. She could go hang out at her boyfriend's. I was hoping, to be honest, to get Nick to come over. We were…sort of seeing each other at the time. I got into the taxi, having stupidly said I was going home alone within earshot of the driver. I made it to McNally's. I called Nick inside, but he didn't answer. Then there was knock on the door. I had hoped it was him."

Holly's hand slipped into hers.

"It wasn't."

She took a deep breath. There was a lump in her throat. She forced it back down.

"He hit me with the door so hard I fell to the ground. I think I hit my head on the table or something. It was kind of a blur from then. I know I tried to get away, but he stuck me with something. Hit me with some sort of drug that made me pass out. I was told later on that McNally had decided to come home, to check on me, I guess. Well he hit her with the drug too, but he only took me."

She closed her eyes. They started to sting with unshed tears.

"The next bit is hazy. I remember that room, the one in the pictures. I was tied down at the wrists. I was blindfolded, and there was an IV in my arm. I can remember the sound of his shoes, wingtips, as they clicked on the concrete floor. He yelled at me about not telling me I was a cop. I was so out of it, I didn't really understand what was going on except that he was trying to move me. I was so weak I struggled to even follow. And then…there was Jerry."

She was full on crying now, head down, clinging to Holly's hand with both hands.

"He saved me. He had come to interview the driver and figured out that he was the murderer. Perik stabbed him. There was blood everywhere. I remember that. He tried to tackle him, but he was already so weak. I should have been able to do something. I should have helped him!"

Gail was shaking. Jerry's face was a blur in her mind.

"It turned out that when Jerry tackled him, he had slipped his phone in his pocket. They were able to trace it. They found me tied up in Perik's trunk. I made it out alive. Jerry wasn't so lucky."

She opened her eyes to look at Holly through her tears. Holly's tears were silent. They fogged up her glasses. Gail yearned to reach out and wipe them away, but she just squeezed Holly's hand tighter.

"He and Traci were going to get married. They were going to be a family, him, Traci, and Traci's son Leo. I screwed that up for them. I'm the one who should have died, Holly. I'm not special. I'm not anyone's someone. It should have been me!"

She was yelling at this point. People were glancing at them, awkwardly, but this was New York so hysterics in public didn't make most people even flinch.

"Gail." Holly's voice was soft. The urging in her name wasn't to be quieter. It was an insistence that what she said wasn't true, that Gail's life was just as worthy as Jerry's. It made her insides clinch.

"I know, Holly," she said. "Traci already gave me the 'he died for something important' speech, but it doesn't make this inadequate feeling go away! The only thing I can do is try to make my life worthy of his sacrifice. And you know, Holly?"

Gail's gaze burned into Holly's. She felt like her lungs were on fire, and if she let go of Holly she might just burst into flames.

"I don't think I'm doing a very good job."

Holly cleared her throat. "If you had died, we'd have never met."

Gail stared blankly at her. Yes, she supposed that was true.

"I'd be sad to have never met you, Gail Peck," she said in a whisper, a small smile on her face.

It made Gail's stomach flip. "You wouldn't know the difference."

Holly shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'd know I was missing something important."

This made Gail want to cry more. She had cried enough for today though. She shook her head, standing suddenly. She let go of Holly.

"Let's get out of here," Gail said, walking down a few. She stopped and turned to look at Holly, who was frozen on the steps. "Please?"

Holly blinked, nodding. She pushed herself up to her feet.

Gail led them back to the bus stop. They didn't speak. They didn't touch. They just waited. Strangers came to stand near them. Gail edged away from them, closer to Holly, who seemed to understand her discomfort, creating sort of a barrier with her body between Gail and everyone else. It was only when they filed onto the bus and Gail saw a few taxis pass by out the window that perhaps Holly had chosen to their method of transport more carefully than Gail had thought.

Gail, once again, slipped her hand into Holly's, who gripped it back tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She could hear the smile in the pathologist's voice without seeing it. "Anytime."

When they arrived back at the hotel, Gail could feel Holly's hesitation. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to go to her room or follow Gail, so Gail took the decision away from her.

"Come on, nerd," she said, heading over to the elevators. "I need a drink, and I might have more liquor in my room."

Holly chuckled. "How much alcohol do you have?"

"Enough," Gail remarked. "At least for tonight."

She'd feel better after a drink. She'd feel better after several drinks.

"It's not more tequila, is it?" Holly said with a flinch. "I don't I can handle any more tequila."

Gail shook her head. The elevator opened to her floor. "Nope, whiskey."

Holly followed her to her room. Once inside, Gail went straight for the glasses. She paused.

"Damn, whiskey is better with ice."

Holly grabbed the ice bucket. "I'll get it."

Gail threw her the key card. "Don't get lost this time!"

Holly glared at her as she left. Once the door shut, the weight of today crashed down on Gail. She took a swig of the warm whiskey.

Gail suddenly became very nervous. This was starting to mirror last night. Did she want to go back down that road? The road with feelings she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with?

Her phone rang out. She dug it out of her pocket, glancing briefly at the caller ID. _Mom._

Gail groaned. She didn't have the energy to deal with her mother after all the emotions she had already dealt with today. So she let it ring out and let her voicemail answer her mother.

The door opened. Holly held out the bucket triumphantly. "The ice is here!"

Gail smiled, taking it from her. She fished out some cubes into each tumbler. She was pouring the alcohol when her phone rang again. _Mom_.

She ignored it, handing Holly a glass. She clinked theirs together before draining hers. She went to refill it.

Holly glanced at her, and then at the phone. She didn't ask. Holly didn't fish for information. She just took a sip of her drink.

Gail huffed as her voicemail pinged. Her mother had left a message. Because of course Elaine Peck would not be ignored. If she couldn't lecture Gail, she'd at least lecture her through her voicemail.

Gail contemplated whether or not to listen to it. She went to sit on her bed, shedding her boots to sit cross-legged on the mattress. Holly mirrored her. Holly's socks had cute little green skulls on them.

Gail poked at them with a smile.

"I like them," Holly said.

"So do I."

Gail's glance went back to her phone. She took a sip of her drink.

"You going to listen to your message?" Holly asked her.

Gail gave her a noncommittal shrug. She knew she was in no mood to hear her mother's voice or the lecture that she was sure to get, but the curiosity was itching at her.

She chugged her whiskey and dialed her voicemail.

"Gail, sweetie, pick up the phone! I know you're ignoring me." Her mother huffed. She always left a message like Gail was hearing it in real time. "Listen sweetheart, I wanted to talk to you about today, with Dr. Richard's lecture."

Wait, how had her mother known about that?

"I know it must have been hard to hear all that in such detail, but I think it would be rather good for you in the long run. Help you get over it, you know…"

Her mother continued, but Gail had stopped listening. Her mother had set her lecture schedule. She was superintendent. She had known Richard's would be there. She had known what he was going to talk about. She had sent Gail in there, knowing full well what she was forcing her daughter to face. Her own mother had set her up.

She threw her phone forcefully across the room. It didn't matter if she broke it. She hoped she had.

Holly's hand came to grip her shin. "Gail, are you ok?"

Gail was shaking. She wasn't upset this time. She was furious.

"_My mother_," she said though it was more like she was spitting out the words, "My own mother sent me into that lecture hall knowing full well what that man was going to say. She let me go in there to be blindsided with my own abduction in a room full of people. I always knew she was a spiteful woman, but I never imagined…"

She trailed off in a wave of anger. She wanted to scream and cry and hit something. How _fucking_ dare she?

Holly seemed taken aback. "What?"

Gail pulled away forcefully. She went straight for the whiskey bottle. She didn't care if it were warm or not, she was going to drink it. She put the bottle to her mouth, got out a few gulps before Holly was there, pulling it out of her hand.

"Gail, honey, don't…"

Gail wasn't sure why she did it. She was being self-destructive, so what was ruining a friendship?

She leaned up and kissed Holly. Her lips were rather forceful against Holly's unyielding mouth. She pushed forward, tongue snaking out to urge Holly's mouth open, and for a moment, the brunette seemed to cave. Her mouth opened, allowing Gail access. Her hands, somehow now devoid of the whiskey, found their way to Gail's face. One cupped her jaw, the other snaked around the back of her neck. Her body forced Gail against the dresser.

And just like that, she was gone again.

When Gail's eyes opened, Holly was now backed up. The backs of her shins were against the edge of the mattress. She was looking rather intensely at Gail, but her expression was unreadable.

"I'm…" Gail faltered. She swallowed. That was more intense than she had bargained for, and sobering.

Holly shook her head. "You don't get to use me like that."

Gail put her face in her hands. "I know. I'm sorry, Holly."

"I mean," Holly started to say, "I know I'm irresistible, but…"

Gail laughed humorlessly, sending Holly a look. She pushed herself off the dresser. "Seriously, though, that was wrong of me to do. I shouldn't have reacted like that."

"Just because I'm a lesbian, doesn't mean you get to take advantage of my sexuality when you're going through something, ok?" Holly said pointedly.

Gail nodded. "I'm really truly sorry, Holly."

"Good."

They stared at each other for a moment. Both seemed to be asking the same question: what now?

"There's another way," Holly began, stepping towards Gail, "to blow off steam."

Gail's eyebrows shot up. Her stomach flipped. "Um…"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Not like that, perv!"

"Alright, then, nerd, what did you have in mind?"

They seemed to be back into their dynamic. Gail was glad that the stupid thing she'd done in reaction to her mother and today hadn't ruined their friendship, hadn't sent Holly running Plus side being, however, that Gail found out what an excellent kisser the pathologist was. She tried not to think too hard about why that was a plus anything in her book.

Holly had a mischievous smile on her face as she answered, "Dancing."

Nothing about today had been normal for Gail. Holly had left her to go change, promising to return only when Gail was done up enough to be seen with her. Gail had tried to make the effort to look nice, but she was sure no matter how much makeup she wore that her eyes were still puffy from crying. She was rather proud of herself when she opened the door for Holly and the brunette speechlessly ran her eyes over Gail. She was wearing a bright blue dress that hugged her curves and made her eyes stand out. It was the dress she always wore to impress. It seemed to be doing just that.

"Decent enough for you?" she asked smugly.

Holly swallowed, nodding. She had the expression of someone in a daze.

"Not bad yourself," Gail said her eyes trailing down the short skirted brown dress that accented Holly's skin tone well. The neckline dipped down just enough to make wearing a bra problematic. Gail swallowed hard at that thought. "For a nerd, that is."

Holly laughed. "Come on, I've got the perfect place for us."

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

Now they were standing outside a lesbian nightclub. Yup, she was regretting agreeing to this. Gail glanced at Holly.

"Really?"

Holly's smile was wicked. "Yup, Officer Peck. Time for you to embrace my lesbian ways."

Gail rolled her eyes. "Well show the way, oh-lesbian-guru."

Holly spun on her feet, and Gail tried her best not to watch the way she moved in that brown dress. She shook the thought out of her head.

They made their way to the queue, which was unreasonably long. Gail sighed. Standing in a line wasn't a way to distress her. Holly smiled at her and took her hand, leading her around the line toward the front doors. Gail looked at her questioningly, but Holly ignored her, turning to talk to the bouncer.

"Hey, is Luca in there?" she asked the large bald man leaning against the brick wall of the club's entrance. Gail assessed he was ex-military from the way he stood. He side-eyed Holly and nodded gruffly. "Will you tell her Holly Stewart is here?"

He paused for a moment, his eyes running up and down Holly in a way Gail didn't like at all, before he reached for his phone. He shot out a text. They didn't have to wait very long before his phone beeped.

He ushered them in with a tight smile. "Go on in, ladies."

Holly thanked him, but Gail scowled at him as he followed their movements, or more specifically the brunette's, inside. Soon though her attention was brought back to the bodies moving in front of them. Holly tugged at her arm, indicating the bar.

She nodded, allowing herself to be tugged through the crowd of dancing bodies towards the alcohol. Holly's hips swayed as she walked, unconsciously moving more to the music. She really needed that drink.

"Four shots of tequila, please," Holly shouted to the bar tender. The woman nodded, moving towards the house liquors, but another woman stopped her. She was a tiny woman, petite. Her black hair was cut short. She wore a lose tank top that dipped down the middle of her chest, showing off the anatomical heart tattoo across her left breast. She reached for the high-end liquor, lining up the shot glasses in front of them.

"Holly," the woman said, smiling way too friendly at the pathologist. She glanced briefly at Gail before her eyes shot back to the pathologist.

"Luca," Holly said, taking the offered shot and placing it in front of Gail.

Gail gladly took it. Holly smiled at her reassuringly and clinked their glasses. The burn of the tequila did nothing to quell the intensity burning inside Gail as the woman leaned across the bar, suggestively towards Holly.

"Thanks," Holly said, raising her other shot. She passed Gail the last one without glancing away from Luca.

"Anything for my favorite lady," Luca said. Her voice was hoarse. She sounded like she smoked a few packs a day to get that gruff. Holly rolled her eyes, but there was an embarrassed flush in her cheeks.

Gail frowned downing her shot without waiting. Luca's eyes finally moved to study Gail, who jutted her chin out rather challengingly. Luca's smirk only infuriated her more.

"Who is your friend, Hols?" Luca asked, placing a hand on Holly's forearm.

Holly appeared uneasy as she glanced between the two. "Luca, this is Gail. Gail, Luca."

"Pleasure," Luca said, not sounding pleased in the least.

"Mmm," Gail said in return. She didn't trust herself to say more than that.

"Luca here owns this club," Holly continued.

"Cool," Gail responded, rather unimpressed.

"Me and Holly here used to date," Luca informed her, eyes never leaving the brunette.

"Yes, before you abandoned me for the night club life," Holly said.

Luca grabbed a tumbler, beginning to make some sort of drink. She grabbed a bottle of rum. "Biggest mistake of my life."

Holly chuckled. "Oh, don't be so dramatic."

Luca hummed, but didn't respond. Instead she placed two drinks in front of them both. "So how do you two know each other?"

"We met on a plane," Holly said, shooting the cop another smile.

Gail couldn't help return it. She moved a bit closer to the scientist, taking hold of the drink. She eyed the pink blend a moment, before taking a considerable drink from it. It tasted sweet, almost candy like, but not too overwhelmingly sugary.

"So you're here for the conference?" Luca asked Gail.

Gail's insides went cold. It must have translated to her face because Luca shot a questioning look at Holly. Holly wasn't paying attention to her ex though. Her hand closed around Gail's bicep.

"Uh, yeah, I'm a cop," Gail finally said, taking another large sip of her drink.

Luca nodded. She was leaning against the backside of the bar now, her arms crossed over her chest. Gail felt herself being studied as the tiny woman's eyes roamed from Holly to Gail.

"Well, you two enjoy your night," Luca said, pushing herself up. "I should get back to work. Hey, Tina!"

The bar tender looked up.

"These two drink on the house tonight, alright?"

Holly moved to protest, but Gail caught her. "Thank you."

Luca nodded to them. "Enjoy yourselves, ladies."

"It's good to see you, Luca," Holly called out as she took Gail's hand to lead them away from the bar.

"You too, gorgeous," Luca called back. As Holly turned away, Luca winked at Gail.

Holly's hand was warm in her own as she tugged the blonde through the mass of people. They finally found an open standing table and placed their drinks on it, claiming it as their own.

Gail tried not to gaze too much at the way Holly's dress dipped down the front as she leaned against the table.

"How do you know Luca?" Gail couldn't help the question that immediately popped out of her mouth.

Holly frowned. "We dated. I said that."

Gail shook her head. "Not what I meant."

"Luca and I went to pre-med together," Holly said, "That is until, she decided to move to New York instead."

"That's an odd jump," Gail remarked. She didn't like this Luca one bit. Who would up and leave someone like Holly?

Holly shrugged. She finished her drink and waved a waiter over. She ordered them both another.

"Do you want to dance?" the pathologist asked suddenly. Gail blinked. She obviously was done talking about her ex.

So when their drinks arrived, they headed to the floor. Holly grasped Gail's hand and led her through the masses. It took a while, pushing through the crowd until they found an open space where Holly twirled Gail in front of her. It made Gail laughed at the unexpected strength from the brunette. Her smile faded quickly though as Holly started to move.

Her hips swayed, her skirt flouncing with every move. She kept her hand in Gail's, tugging her a bit closer. Gail was so memorized she almost forgot she was supposed to be moving as well.

"What's wrong, Officer?" Holly's breath brushed against her ear as she leaned in to be heard. "Two left feet?"

Gail shook her head, letting out a slow breath. She tried to let all her nerves flow out of her as she began to dance. The long sip of alcohol she took also helped.

Soon, they had both finished their drinks, had gotten more, and were much further away from sober. All the alcohol spinning around in their systems caused them to dance a bit closer, until Gail's back was pressed fully against Holly's front.

The brunette's arm wrapped around Gail's stomach, fingers splayed along her stomach, guiding her with every sway of her hips. Her head lolled back onto Holly's shoulder. She could feel Holly's lips against the space where her neck met her shoulder. She hummed at the sensation. Holly must have felt the vibrations because she chose that moment to lift her head.

They locked eyes. Holly leaned in a bit, but hesitated halfway through. Gail ever so slowly inched forward until their lips brushed. It seemed to spark something in Holly because in that instance she pushed her lips against the blonde's.

Gail's hand reached around losing itself in Holly's hair, holding her closer. Holly pulled her back so their bodies were absolutely flushed against one another. They were no longer dancing.

Her head was swimming. She couldn't focus on anything, but the way Holly's lips felt against her own. She wanted, needed more. When her tongue slipped into Holly's open mouth, she felt the moan shake from the brunette's chest.

Holly's hand brushed the underside of her breast. Her whole body felt on fire. She spun around in the brunette's arms, briefly breaking their kiss only to pull the other woman back towards her. Holly's arms wrapped back around her waist, settling her hands on the small of Gail's back. Gail clutched at her hair and neck. She'd never felt the need to be closer to someone than she did in that moment.

It was the flush of heat spreading throughout her body, heading very south, that finally made her come back to her senses. She pulled back, stepping as far back from Holly as possible with all the people still moving around them.

Holly's eyes were wide. The deep brown had turned dark in arousal. She was frozen with her hands still out around where Gail had just been standing. She was stunned, her mouth slightly open.

They stared at each other.

**Thank you for reading! Feel free to tell me how I'm doing on here or ask me a question on my tumblr: hopelesslyscattered. Thanks to my gf, joiedevivre2011, for correcting my grammar and assuring me it isn't crap. **


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